In this study, six compounds were isolated and purified from dandelion, and only sample I exhibited notable antifungal effect on Candida albicans (CA). high‑performance liquid chromatography‑diode‑array detector‑electrospray ionization‑tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that sample I comprised 4‑coumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercetin pentoside, 3,5‑di‑O‑caffeoylquinic acid, 4,5‑di‑O‑caffeoylquinic acid, luteolin, and two unknown compounds, at a relative percent composition of 11.45, 3.96, 10.48, 34.24, 3.91, 11.80, 3.65 and 4.21%, respectively. Further antimicrobial experiments showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of sample I was 32.0 mg/ml, and sample I mainly acts on bacterial growth in the exponential phase of CA growth. Optical density and infrared analyses conclusively suggested that sample I damages the structure of CA cells, particularly the cell wall and cell membrane, resulting in macromolecule leakage of intracellular nucleic acids and cell metabolism disruption. In conclusion, dandelion sample I was reported to increase CA cell membrane permeability by affecting the glycosidic bond in β‑(1‑3)‑D glucan and destroying the cell wall, ultimately leading CA to death.

Kringle 5, the fifth fragment of plasminogen, is known to be important for inhibiting the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cell (VEC), while not having any effects on normal endothelial cells. Therefore, it may be a potential tumor therapy candidate. However, the ligand of the Kringle 5 in VEC has not yet been identified. In this study, the possible ligand of Kringle 5 in vitro was screened and validated using Ph.D.-7 phage display peptide library with molecular docking, along with surface plasma resonance (SPR). After four rounds of panning, the specific clones of Kringle 5 were confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The gene sequence analysis showed that they expressed the common amino sequence IGNSNTL. Then, using a NCBI BLAST, 103 matching sequences were found. Following the molecular docking evaluation and considering the acting function and pathway of the plasminogen Kringle 5 in the human body, the most promising candidate was determined to be voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1), which was able to bind to Kringle 5 at -822.65 J·mol^-1 of the binding energy at the residues of Lys12, Thr19, Ser57, Thr188, Arg139, Asn214, Ser240 and Lys274. A strong dose-dependent interaction occurred between the VDAC-1 and Kringle 5 (binding constant 2.43 × 10³ L·mol^-1) in SPR observation. Therefore, this study proposed that VDAC-1 was a potential ligand of plasminogen Kringle 5, and also demonstrated that the screening and validation of protein ligand using phage display peptide library with the molecular docking, along with SPR, was a practicable application.

Codonopsis pilosula is a traditional herb widely used in Asian countries. As regulatory institutions increasingly acknowledge its medicinal and food-related characteristics, the attention from scholars is expected to increase rapidly. However, an overview and reports on research focus on this promising herb are currently lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by conducting a systematic review of relevant literature to explore the developing history and research focus on C. pilosula. This research is of significant importance in gaining a deeper understanding of the potential benefits and application areas of C. pilosula. The output, institutions, countries, authors, highly cited publications, frontier focus and funding agencies of C. pilosula were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and COOC software. The development of C. pilosula experienced 3 stages: initial stage (1979–2002), fast stage (2003–2012), and explosive stage (2013-present), with each stage showing linear growth. Worldwide attention from 1292 institutions in 27 countries have been paid, with China leading in output and collaboration. Lanzhou University in China contributed most publications with Fangdi Hu as a core specialist facilitating collaborations in agricultural and pharmacological research. A stable cooperation network has formed among researchers from different fields, focusing on pharmacological activity, chemical constituents, quality control, and medication rules. The research focus updated timely with new scientific frontiers occur. Medication rules, data mining, molecular docking, traditional Chinese medicine, gut microbiota, and polysaccharide are frontier focus presently and in the near future. Significant attention and funding have been provided by the national and local government of Gansu province in China. Research on C. pilosula is thriving, particularly in China, with a promising future in traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology. This study provides valuable insights for future research directions and contributes to the effective development of C. pilosula.

The effect of biochar addition on enzyme stoichiometry and regulatory mechanisms in saline-alkali soil is still vague. We studied how five years (2018–2023) of applying 10 t biochar ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ influences soil’s chemical and microbial properties, microbial element utilization efficiency, and resource limitations in the Tarim River basin. Low, medium, and high nitrogen fertilization (kg N ha⁻¹) and irrigation (W) (mm) with or without biochar (B) were as follows: low nitrogen low irrigation (LNLW, 100/140), mid nitrogen mid irrigation (MNMW, 200/220), high nitrogen high irrigation (HNHW, 300/320), LNLWB, MNMWB, and HNHWB. Biochar application (LNLWB, MNMWB, HNHWB) increased soil organic carbon (+61%, +55%, +59%), total N (+9%, +16%, +8%), total phosphorus (+6%, +5%, +27%), microbial N (+75%, +86%, +28%) and P use efficiency (+60%, +45%, +27%), but decreased microbial biomass carbon (−6%, −29%, −45%), and microbial carbon use efficiency (−6%, −7%, −7%). Biochar application alleviated microbial C limitation but increased the P limitation of MNMW and the N limitation of HNHW. In conclusion, with a 1/3 reduction in N fertilization and irrigation compared with HNHW (MNMW), biochar can greatly alleviate microbial resource limitations and improve soil fertility in saline-alkaline soils.

This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which dandelion extract inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Dandelion root and leaf extracts were prepared using a heat reflux method and subjected to solvent gradient extraction to obtain fractions with different polarities. MTT assays revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. LC-MS analysis identified 12 potential active compounds, including sesquiterpenes such as Isoalantolactone and Artemisinin, which showed significantly lower toxicity toward normal mammary epithelial MCF-10A cells compared to tumor cells (p < 0.01). Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the extract induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, with an apoptosis rate as high as 85.04%, and significantly arrested the cell cycle at the S and G2/M phases. Label-free quantitative proteomics identified 137 differentially expressed proteins (|FC| > 2, p < 0.05). GO enrichment analysis indicated that these proteins were mainly involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the antitumor effects were primarily mediated through the regulation of PI3K-Akt (hsa04151), JAK-STAT (hsa04630), and PPAR (hsa03320) signaling pathways. Moreover, differential proteins such as PI3K, AKT1S1, SIRT6, JAK1, SCD, STAT3, CASP8, STAT2, STAT6, and PAK1 showed strong correlation with the core components of the EA-2 fraction of dandelion. Molecular docking results demonstrated that these active compounds exhibited strong binding affinities with key target proteins such as PI3K and JAK1 (binding energy < −5.0 kcal/mol). This study elucidates the multi-target, multi-pathway synergistic mechanisms by which dandelion extract inhibits breast cancer, providing a theoretical basis for the development of novel antitumor agents.